December 10, 2015 Coats Museum NewsThere was a time when there were very few people around Coats who did not know Jesse Ray Mann. He could be found on the sidelines at basketball games, in the activities at Coats Baptist, or in the fields hunting quail with his Uncle Jonah or brother-in-law Herbert Johnson. J.W. Sorrell, Warren and Charles Ennis were neighbors who spent most of their adult lives as friends. Wherever Jesse Ray was, he had the most pleasant demeanor, waiting to burst forth with his trademark laugh. Admittedly of all the years that I knew him, I never heard anything about Jesse’s parents or siblings only his wife Mary Joe. He was bigger than life to this writer who can still hear his voice from the bleachers where he was encouraging my teammates and me on the basketball court.When we researched at the Daily Record for our Coats heritage book, it was exciting to learn more about this remarkable person so loved by many. His father was H.M Mann of Coats who died in December of 1955. His mom survived his dad and was the former Ella Mae Upchurch of Wake County. He was the grandson of Turner and Alvana Upchurch Mann of Chatham County. H.M. Mann had several children-Mrs. Agnes Mattthews, Mrs. Cleona Mae Dean, Alfred, Cecil and Jesse Ray Mann.Another family in the area had also lost a loved one. D. Kirk Grimes, 64, of rural Angier had died at his home on Saturday morning. The “outstanding citizen of the community” had his funeral at Gift PBC. Three children- Ethelyn Norris of Coats and Herbert and Hubert Grimes of Siler City survived him as did two sisters-Mrs. J.C. Senter and Mrs. Alice Parker (Daily Record December 5, 1955).Question—were Hubert and Herbert twins? This I do know. Jurors were drawn for January, 1956. Among those drawn to appear were R.L. Adams, Cortez Williams, Lawrence Stewart, Shelton Stewart, Howard Barnes, W.A. Johnson, Clester Johnson, Jasper L. Stone, and C.H. Godwin. Those drawn for civil duty were Tillma Butts, Louis H. Dupree, C.C. Adams, Herman Bowden, Carlos Dixon, Chester Ennis, Silas Fore, C.B. Gardner, Joe C. Stewart, Helen M. Silvers, and Edward W. Pollard.Farm quotas were in the news in December of 1955. Farmers were to go to the polls to vote on the 1956 Farm Quotas on cotton. Some of the farm voters went to the Coats Town Hall while others went to the Coats Agriculture Building to vote. What was a farm quota? Did all crops have quotas? I do know that another death announcement had appeared in the paper. Frank. B. Harmon, 85, of Buies Creek, had died at his home early Wednesday morning. Services were held at the Buies Creek Baptist Church. A native of Chatham County, Mr. Harmon was the son of the late Henry Harrison and Antionette Gunter Harmon. He moved to Harnett County when he was eleven and the next 65 years he had lived in Buies Creek. He was a prominent “farmer.”His wife, Lenora Stewart Harmon, survived him. He had four sons-Dr. W.H. Harmon, Stewart, Carlyle and Frank; two daughters-Mrs. Paul Bradley and Mrs. Carl Dixon. His brothers were George, Will and Benton Harmon of Coats (Daily Record December 7, 1955).The date on the calendar indicated it was time to begin to make plans for Christmas. Twenty-five pounds of oranges was available for 99 cents or a box for $3.90. One gallon of cider was $1.00. Ground beef was 35 cents per pound or a roast was 49 cent a pound. To give an extra incentive to shop at the Piggly Wiggly, customers were able to win a Polaroid Land camera.Wonder why they are not advertising hard candy and nuts? Haven’t we all heard some people say all they got for Christmas was an orange, hard candy and nuts?It is for sure that Christmas is getting even closer for the letters to Santa Claus were appearing in the paper. Larry Barefoot was four years old and he was so sorry that he did not get to see Santa in the parade. He, however, did make a list. Larry wanted a tool set, toy trucks, and a coloring book with crayons. A second thought was that he would like a little tractor that he could ride. He wanted his little sister Carol to have a baby doll. Just in case Santa had forgotten, Larry thanked Santa for the cowboy suit from last Christmas. Linda Ruth and her cousin, Judy Elizabeth Barefoot, also wrote to old St. Nick. A Betty Crocker cooking set would make Linda happy. Judy thought an 18 inch bride doll would be great. Surely Santa knew that the children were the super nice kids who lived on the county line road area.Do these requests to Santa seem so simple compared to what is wanted by our young ones today? In the town of Coats, letters were also destined to the North Pole. Diane Williams was only five years old and she was sure of what she wanted Santa to leave at her house—a baby doll, bassinette, furniture, and a cowgirl suit (Daily Record December 8, 1955).A 4-H Achievement program was held in the Lillington auditorium. Carson Gregory, Jr. and Joe Gregory were blue ribbon winners for Holstein Breeders Association show at Wilmington. Faye Moran was the sewing winner (Daily Record December 9, 1955).Harnett farmers, like those in the rest of the nation, voted overwhelmingly for cotton quotas. The vote in Harnett was 807 for and 14 against. The Coats Glee Club, under the direction of Dwight Johnson, had had an outstanding Christmas Concert. There had been voting in the Coats School also but these votes had been casted for officers in the Glee Club. Rosa Leigh Turlington was president; Becky Weaver, vice-president; Patty Sue McLamb, secretary-treasurer; Julia Whittington, reporter; Fred Holder, librarian; Sue Ennis, pianist and Norma Lee Johnson and Patty McLamb, assistant pianists ((Daily Record December 14, 1955). Wonder what Fred Holder did as the club’s librarian?You just read about the Christmas concert from the school. Now let’s visit the Coats Baptist Church for their Christmas cantata. Billy Moore, Ann Beasley, Sue Ennis, James Dwight Johnson, Dr. Donald Moore, Mrs. Donald Moore, Mrs. T.H. Penny, and Patsy Stewart performed in the “Messiah.” Catherine Peede was likely missing from the cantata for she was giving birth to a son. The father was Flemming Peede (Daily Record December 15, 1955). Anyone know the name of the newborn?Recall last week that I ask if Mrs. Gladys Phillips was a relative of Mr. M.O. Phillips. Lib Guy shared that indeed she was his sister-in-law and was the mother of Kenneth who graduated from Coats High and that Kenneth had died young from cancer.Stacy Avery shared that he knew the Fred A. Turlington family that I wrote about last week and had many memories of the younger, Fred, Jr. Mike Joyner of Baltimore, Maryland who was in town for a class reunion shared that he reads the Coats Museum News and how surprised he was to read about James (Jim) Lay, Jr. who had married Virginia Ann, Fred Turlington’s daughter. Mike shared, “Jim was my boss and then I was his boss and he was a fine man in both settings.”Another Coats High graduate who owns the Quality Awning Company did a great service to the museum. Thank you, Johnny Byrd, for making our entrance safer for visitors when it rains.We were honored to be picked as the CACC Business of the Month. We are proud to promote Coats and the businesses in town through tourism. Thank you, CACC.